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Savvy kids can learn saving skills, too

Courtesy of Tiffany Steptoe Cameron Steptoe, 1, "helps" his mother, Tiffany, with her couponing. Jokes aside, it's never too early to instill savings sense in young ones.

Kids can coupon, too!

Kids are catching on fast to the coupon craze. My three children will ask me on a regular basis “Mom, do you have a coupon for that? I want to try it.”

They know that I am not willing to pay top dollar for anything, and I am hoping that this is a habit they’ll continue as they grow into adulthood. There are already some promising results: My youngest son competed in a savvy shopper contest at his school last year and won. I was proud that my son paid attention to my couponing and was able to put it into practice for himself. (And, kudos to the school for introducing this valuable life skill to their students.)

It’s never too late or too early to start couponing. Shopping with kids isn’t always pleasurable, but it can be a great learning experience for them. If you take the time to explain coupons to them, chances are they will become expert shoppers and helpers.

Coupons are just like money. Teach your children the value of coupons. Explain how stores accept them just like cash at the register. Show them how coupons help you to reduce your grocery bill and how paying less for certain items allows you to have more money for other things that your family wants and needs.

Set a goal and get them involved. Tell them why you are saving. Your goal can be to save up for a big ticket item for your family, pay off a debt, save up for a family vacation or simply because you are a smart shopper. Whatever the reason, share it with your children. Track your savings and share it with them on a regular basis. If you are saving for a vacation or a big ticket item, you could display a chart in your home and keep track of how close you are getting to your goal.

Play grocery store at home. When my daughter was little she loved to play grocery store with her Little Tykes shopping cart. Set up a mini-grocery store in your home and give your kids their own coupons to play with. Save the empty boxes, tape them shut and locate coupons that match them.

Teach them to comparison-shop. Each week sit down with the store circulars and ask your child to check them for a specific item. Example: We need potatoes this week, check the store sales ads and see if you can find potatoes and tell me which store has them for the cheapest price. Take this opportunity to explain to them that stores put items on sale, and that it’s important to compare the prices at each place before making our purchases. If your child is old enough to use a computer, teach them how to use the Shopping Wizard at www.savvyshopperdeals.com/georgia. This easy tool compares all of the advertised prices in our area and is searchable.

Match coupons up with sales. Give your child a coupon and send them on a mission to find that item advertised on sale in the store circulars. (You may want to make sure that the item is on sale somewhere prior to doing this so that they will not be disappointed).

Develop those fine motor skills. If you are really brave you can have your pre-schooler help you cut out your coupons. This is a great way for them to practice those fine motor skills. I wouldn’t recommend doing this with coupons that you know you will definitely use, but hey if you don’t have a cat let them cut out those cat coupons! If you have been wishing for a coupon clipping fairy, try getting those teenagers involved in clipping the coupons!

Clear out those expired coupons. Older children can help you remove expired coupons from your binder. Have them place the coupons in the military drop box at Publix.

Couponing can help develop those math skills. Getting your kids to help you with couponing and shopping is a great way to help them with their math skills. This is a life skill that they will definitely be able to use when they are grown.

Counting items in the store. While shopping, have them pick up a specified number of items for you: Please get me two boxes of spaghetti, three boxes of cereal, etc.

Calculating the value of double coupons. Older children can figure out the value of the coupon after the coupon doubles.

Teach older children how to read unit rate signs on the shelf to calculate which one is cheaper. Throw a coupon in the mix and see if they can calculate the new unit rate and determine which one is the better deal.

Have them calculate the number of items that you must purchase for each coupon. Example if you have two coupons for $1 off two granola bars, how many do you have to purchase to use both coupons.

Have them calculate the price of the item after the coupon.

Teach them how to read the receipt and calculate how much you have saved on each trip. Have them figure out the percentage of savings.

Children are great at locating items in the store. Give each child a coupon for a specific item, and have them watch for that item in the store. Even if your child isn’t able to read yet, they will be able to look at the photo on the coupon and locate the item with help. Sometimes children will even spot items that we would have missed. When the $1 off one Cascade coupons were out, I looked everywhere for the trial-size packs because the coupon made them free. I had been to the store multiple times in search of them, but it was my son Kris who found them for me.

Kids are expert coupon hunters. Children catch on quickly that if we have a coupon for something and can find it for a reasonable price that we will purchase it. They become experts at locating those tear-pad and blinkie coupons for items that they want you to purchase. Send them on a mission to find coupons as you shop together. Teach them only to take a couple from each machine or tear pad. (It’s never too early to teach them couponing manners.).

Help them locate coupons for items that they want. If your child wants you to purchase granola bars, have them go through your couponing binder to find a coupon for granola bars. If you are unable to locate a coupon in your stash, go online and show them how you are able to locate coupons online. If you are still not able to find a coupon, have them compare the price of the generic granola bars to the name brand to determine which one is the better deal.

Let them pay for the items. Let them hand over the coupons to the cashier, and have them pay attention to the numbers on the check out screen. It’s a great feeling to watch those numbers keep going down and they will love it. Besides, you never know your cute little one may make the cashiers day.

Help your college student set up their own coupon stash. Set up a couponing binder for your college students and send them off to school with them. Purchase extra papers each week and send them the coupons. Take the time to learn the store policies in their areas, and help your college students understand what they mean.

Send your tips or questions to Savvy Shopper Michelle Rubrecht at Savvyshopper@savannahnow.com or post them to her at Facebook at Savannah Savvy Shopper.

One thing I absolutely love is budget-saving applications for your computer and smartphones. These apps are a great way to help you take control of your budget, learn to budget, and will even teach you ways to put some money back into savings. If you go to iTunes or the Google store depending on your phone, you will find hundreds of apps that will help you with finances.